Posted on Feb 13, 2014
SGT(P) Cryptologic Linguist
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The Army Times top story tonight reports the Army is or will soon be making another attempt to redesign the APFT.  There may be an MOS specific APFT in addition to an APFT for everyone in the Army.  My question regards the latter... What would you change about the current APFT or is it fine the way it is?  
Posted in these groups: P542 APFTLogo no word s Fitness
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CSM Aircraft Maintenance Senior Sergeant
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Drop the time for the P/U & S/U to 1 min; Add a 100 Meter Sprint; and a Standing Broad Jump; & 1 1/2 Mile Run.
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SGT(P) Cryptologic Linguist
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Would you adjust the grading system for the reduced time on push ups and sit ups?  

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CPT Zachary Brooks
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Here is my take on the PT test:

Pushups for number performed without "resting" as in putting knees down, etc and not for time. Encourages form and more muscular strain instead of moving quickly, letting momentum do the work, and increasing risk of injury.

Pullups for number performed (see above). Stay under a constant state of motion to still be "doing a pull up" and no leg kicking.

Run: 1.5 miles as its fast enough to require leg power and speed but also short enough to not just be pure endurance.

Remove sit ups altogether. The muscles it "tests" are small and mostly unimportant or can be trained in other exercises (see run). Done improperly, which is common, it can cause back injuries (as I have unfortunately found out).
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I would like to see the sit- ups changed to crunches. I hear so many in the medical field and sports medicine field say there is no reason to require a foot- supported sit-up, when a crunch is better for you and still tests the abs and core. Many say the sit-up causes more injuries to the back and neck. I also know many who can do crunches, but cannot do sit-ups because of different injuries that have healed in every aspect, except for the traditional sit up. They can ruck, run, shoot, do whatever, but the motion of the sit-up (past the point of the crunch) causes physical problems. Again, these are guys who are highly- motivated, but may be forced on a permanent profile because of not being able to perform a sit- up. If, however, we are determined to keep the sit- up, maybe we could offer an alternate of crunches in its place (obviously raising the number needed to adjust the difficulty/ fairness).

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